Pentax Japan offers colorful special edition 'Evangelion' Q10

Pentax has released a three multi-colored variants of its Q10 small-sensor mirrorless camera for the Japanese market. The color scheme is based on characters from the country's popular science-fiction franchise Neon Genesis Evangelion. Apart from the cosmetic changes, there are no specification differences in these editions compared to the original Q10, which offers a 12.4MP 1/2.3" back-lit CMOS sensor, giving a roughly 5.5x crop factor, meaning a 28mm lens will give a 154mm equivalent field of view.

The special editions will be produced in a limited run of 1500, but it is unclear whether this is the total production per variant, or whether a run of 500 will be produced for each individual model. Price has yet to be confirmed.

This is the special edition 'Shinji Ikari' Q10. In Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shinji is a young boy who pilots a robot called Evangelion Unit 01, which he uses to protect the city of Tokyo-3 from creatures called Angels, who want to destroy mankind. And you thought it was just a camera...

This is the 'Rei Ayanami' edition. In Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rei is the pilot of Evaluation Unit 00.

This K-10 pays tribute to Asuka Langley Soryu, who pilots Evangelion Unit-02. According to our exhaustive research, Asuka is 'a girl who seeks to put herself above all others'. So now you know.

Very cool! If the Q10 feels as good in the hand as the original Q, then this is worth looking into for a 'carry everywhere' camera. I especially like the look of the 'Rei Ayanami' edition -- it's very evocative of Japanese Sci-Fi media in general.

This gimmick fits with the selling point of the Q10. Pentax didn't design it for performance (a MILC with a 1/2.3 sensor is like a motorcycle that needs to be pedaled) but as a mini sytem camera for the gadget crowd. It's like the K-01, a device that is more concerned with being a decoration than a camera.

IMHO Pentax is gaining excitement in their products from younger people that will possibly stay brand loyal over the next couple decades. It's less about pixel peeping and more about fun. Smart move, since this market will probably buy more cameras (and adapt to their changes) than the current market.

The next ones ? A Barbapapa serie, then a DragonBall serie, then a Naruto serie, then a Doraemon serie, an AnPanMan serie, a Sazae-san serie... We were waiting for a progress in photography, not a childish regression. Please reassure me, didn't we ?

The only thing I can relate from your post, is 1) you aren't familiar with Evangelion, which is, actually, marketed at adults and not kids like the other ones you posted and 2nd, that you don't understand the japanese culture about them. Pentax already made special colorways like this before, and had succeeded at it too. But I'm with you that Pentax should work harder to get better cameras out, their latest releases have been rather "meh", especially their attempt at he mirrorless market was quite the failure.... the horribly designed K-01 (takes great pictures though defeats the purpose of a mirrorless) , and the Q10 ain't wow either, but its a fun camera.I'm a fan of odd colors on equipment, colors are fun, and like you said, people don't think they are "pro" and allow more pictures to be taken. If you have kids, you will get their attention faster too than a plain color. It also makes them less eager to get stolen, because it can be too easily recognized.

Do you always judge others so fast, without knowing anything of them ? I must know "japanese culture" as you say because you are a manga fan (big laugh, X-cuse) better than you... as I have been living in Japan more than 16 years. Oh, my ! The world is collapsing !That's maybe one thing that gives me the right (among other things like the freedom of speech I suppose) to call these camera "childish". Evangelion is aimed at adults, but childish ones, I fear, nothing to be proud of.

Besides, if some need so badly to catch the attention of kids for any purpose that leads them to take pictures of these little creatures, why not ? That said, there are not so many good reasons to use that sort of camera... But to be fair, you found a good one: one point for you.

not a personal attack, but reading a lot of the comments a lot of people seem to know nothing about it gets me mad. Anyway, I'm not attacking you at all, I'm sure if some other camera company would bring out marvel comics/star wars themed cameras the same people that laugh at the evangelion stuff would buy them and call it innovating.

The best - and only - merit mines see in this sort of products is that they help a lot to hide your pro skill and identity. That way, one could easily take pictures as a "stupid tourist" where an obvious pro couldn't with his (or her) high-end-gear. By the way, that's a traditional japanese strategy.

Free pair of clown shoes that squirt water when you purchase the kit version with zoom and flash! Water-squirting flower is optional...But you'll not likely lose this camera in a dark camera bag or in the equipment drawer! Well done Pentax!

Dear Pentax... I love it! I own a white Q and love it to bits and the IQ is pretty nice for such a small sensor.

Obviously the rest of the world is not the target market and since the Q and Q10 is a hit in Japan, this will make a pretty penny for Pentax.

I love the non-traditional black cameras, its easier for me to make newbie models relax, sometime I think I should've bought the pink Kr instead of the white. Still drooling over that Pentax Kr Gundam edition.

They're gonna make good money for just making it on EVA colours =) Being a fan of that anime (and many others) I find myself quite surprised to see something like this on dpreview. Not for me, but this made me smile today!

Ha ...I actually like the look ...sorry to say folks, but this is the way the market is going ...and everytime I see these types of posts I think of that wood paneled Sigma SLR from last year ...hahaha, at least these aren't 11 grand

reading all the negative comments, people have really no idea this thing will be a hit in Japan with all the Anime fans. Or put it in words you might understand: You are not the targeted buyers for these cameras!

Which begs the question, how drunk or stoned with one have to get the CEO or lead product designer at Canon or Nikon to do this to an EOS 1D MK 5 or D5 and take it to market? I can just see sports photogs and paparazzi swinging their technicolour mantoys around to catch the attention of their normally disinterested subjects...